Conversation
by wingswordsandmetaphors
Summary: Just a conversation between Jonas and the Giver. Something that might happen after the book.  In other words, a language arts assignment that passes as fanfiction


**I was forced to write this for a lalb assignment, but I thought it might entertain somebody anyway.**

One thing elsewhere had in common with the community was school. Of course,

school in elsewhere wasn't the same as school in the community. The math was simpler

and there was less memorization, and less than half as many rules, but there were also

new things, like history and creative writing. History was like memories on paper. And

creative writing was putting your feelings (which everyone had in elsewhere) into words

and putting the words on paper. Elsewhere was big on paper. Sometimes, creative writing

was put into books. Like paper, elsewhere had a lot of books- more, even, than the atrium

where the Giver lived. There were entire buildings full of books. These were called

libraries.

It was a library where Jonas was headed now. After his last class of the day,

which had been a particularly odd one called "art" (which Jonas greatly enjoyed- it was

full of color and emotions), Jonas walked six buildings down to the library. He would do

his homework there, and then his adopted father would pick him up at five on his way home from

work.

Jonas had a plan. It was a very important plan, and its success would determine

his entire life. That is, his entire life until three in the afternoon the next day, by which

time he would have a new plan. Unfortunately for Jonas, his plan was doomed from the

second a very old man walked into the library at exactly two forty-five that afternoon, as

the plan was being made. Also unfortunately for Jonas, what would take place in the

library truly would determine his entire life, far past three the next day.

Jonas walked into the library, dumping _Ancient Egypt_ and _Maximum Ride: The _

_Angel Experiment_ into the return slot at the front desk as he passed. He lugged his

backpack, heavy with textbooks, to his favorite corner.

It surprised Jonas to see someone sitting at his usual table, because it was almost

always empty except for him. He was looking forward to the company when he

realized that the "company" was an old man. In the _young adult's_ research room.

"Hello, Jonas, " the man spoke up.

"What the… Giver?"

"So, you remember me, then?" the Giver teased, amused.

"Of course I remember you!" Jonas protested. "It's just that, well, I thought I

would never see you again."

"Nor did I. But tell me, is elsewhere like we anticipated it?"

"Oh, it's much better…" And Jonas spent a fair amount of time explaining the

oddities of elsewhere. "And they _write down_ their history, and teach it in school! And did

you know, not everyone sees color here? Also, there are so many choices- like what to

wear, what to eat, where to go, what extra subjects to take in school, and the grown-ups

(you have to be an eighteen to be an adult here. And people aren't grouped by ages

outside of school. You say "eighteen years old" instead.) But the adults even get to

choose the government! And the government is the people who make the laws, because

they have rules here too, but not as many…" If Jonas didn't interrupt himself a half-

million times and tramp around in his explanations like a rhinoceros ("And there are real

animals here, like in the memories. Some people even keep them in their houses. My

family has eight fish, ad a pet dog named Sadie- She's a basset hound, that's a type of

dog-") then nobody has ever done so.

"All right, Jonas, you can finish explaining later. I'm sure you have much more to

tell me, but at a later time," the Giver interrupted gently almost an hour later.

"Oh, right. Tell me about the community. What have they been doing now that

they have the memories? Can they see color now, too?" Jonas questioned hopefully.

"No color, except in the memories. They were born not to be able to see it. As for

what they're doing, they are trying to control the chaos. There was complete

disorganization at first, and quite a few… unfortunate demises-"

"Are Asher and Fiona okay? What about Lily? And my parents- they're not

worried about me, are they?"

"Your father… when he realized what he had done…"

"Releasing the babies, you mean?"

"The newchildren, yes. Jonas, do you remember what I told you about

Rosemary?"

"He didn't… no… he couldn't…" Jonas found himself once more crying over his

father's actions. The first time had been when he watched the tape of his father releasing

the newchildren. The second time, now, when learning of his father's suicide.

"Your mother was very distraught when she learned what you had been through,

then again when your father… released himself. Fiona is coping rather well, given the

circumstances. She, like many, has been receiving special help to come to terms with the

releases she has done, and is actually one of our more adaptive citizens. Asher, when he

heard I was going to see you, said to tell you 'Sorry about the war games. I get it now.'

You left just before a time of great pain and disorder for the people."

"I _caused_ a time of great pain and disorder for the people," Jonas corrected

forlornly.

"It wasn't your fault," the older man assured him. "If the people so long ago

hadn't given up choices and pain, this would not have needed to happen. But you can be

a hero once again, Jonas. You can help bring back the memories of joy and love."

"But didn't they get those back, with the other memories?"

"Yes, Jonas. But they do not know how to balance it. It all came on at once, and

they were not prepared for it."

"Wait, if you're here, what about the memories you didn't give to me?"

"Do you remember the light eyed girl who was a five when you were with me? I

didn't want to, but I was forced to give them to her in order to find you. I kept some

memories of strength and courage, to be let into the community when I came to find you.

But we do not have long. We must hurry."

"What are we doing?"

"We're going to the community. Someone is waiting outside to take us right now.

Jonas, we need you back."


End file.
